The National Assembly … Collaboration in Southern National Decision Making for the Upcoming Future Merits

Declaring of the southern national assembly during 14th October Event at Al-Mualla was like a Declaration of independence in a political way to establish the principle of collaboration in southern national decision making according to current stages and future merits. The national assembly is the supreme legislative authority of the southern transitional council while presidency is an executive authority for what is decided by the assembly. To guarantee equal rights for southern governorates, standards of area and population were established as general standards for choosing representatives of the national assembly. The following poll sheds light on the goals and duties of the national assembly in addition to percentages of representation for different southern governorates.
Al-Awlaky: Standards of area and population establish collaboration
Salem Thabet Al-Awlaky, spokesman of the southern transitional council indicated that declaring the national assembly that consists of (303) representatives according to the standards of area and population, as a supreme legislative authority of the southern transitional council, establishes the principle of collaboration in southern national decision making. Al-Awlaky indicated that the assembly will start work in November to decide on its agenda and to form its administrative and technical department. He also indicated that the assembly will discuss and approve all documents and regulations of the council and its departments in addition to discussing and approving plans presented by these departments. In addition, the general assembly will authenticate and approve the political vision project, all political agreements and any assumed negotiations with any other party. Furthermore, the assembly will assume the responsibilities monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the council’s department in addition to forming committees for preparing legislations, the constitution draft and the public referendum committee once decided upon. Al-Awlaky said: the southern transitional council is moving confidently according to well-prepared steps towards the southern state that is fighting today for completing its institutions in preparation for the day when the political decision will be taken by the force of the free patriotic will. We understand the importance of balance between the rights of our nation and the rights of our state. We also understand the importance of granting and protecting regional and international interests in addition to collaboration in anti-terrorism efforts. Therefore, we praise all parties that recognized the southern transitional council as part of the solution and not the problem. They appreciated the right of southern people to have a political leadership that represents their free will.
The national assembly and representation percentages of southern governorates and territories:
Chief editor of Yafea News, Yasser Al-Yafeay, asserted that: the national assembly is a southern parliament for six southern governorates. It is a well-planned institutional work under supervision of experienced southern politicians. This work is parallel to the military solution and expanding control in addition to escalation against the government. It is the right of the general assembly to call for one-party referendum on unity in addition to breaking unity with the north and other legislations. Al-Yafeay indicated that establishing the state’s institutions needs long efforts and this annoys enemies. He also asserted that the crowds of 14th October declared confidence in its leadership and the unity of the south. This led all campaigns against the south to shake the people’s confidence in the southern transitional council to fail although these campaigns used the most dangerous cards of territorial conflicts. According to Al-Yafeay “Those to tried to put the council in the dwarf’s shoes looked themselves like dwarfs”. Al-Yafeay indicated that representatives of the national assembly will be chosen with specific quota for each governorate according to population and area in addition to considering the geostrategic and political significance of the capital – Adan – by adding (30) additional seats for it. Population standard represents 65% while area standard represents 35%. This will distribute seats as follows: 100 seats for Hadhramaut, 62 seats for Adan, 36 seats for Lahj, 37 seat seats for Shabwa, 24 seats for Al-Mehra, 3 seats for Socotra, 31 seats for Abian and 10 seats for Al-Dalea. I think this is a fair share among governorates.
“The National Assembly will be Responsible for Authenticating, Amending and Approving Legislations”
Adel Al-Shubahy, a southern writer and political analyst, said: as expected, the establishment of the national assembly was announced. The assembly will be responsible for authenticating, amending and approving legislations and decrees in addition to approving the government’s plan, budgets and other related issues. For several days, discussions dealt with the mechanisms of choosing the assembly members and how seats will be distributed according to demographic characteristics of the south in addition to providing Adan and Hadhramaut specific status. Al-Subahy indicated that top priority should be granted for internal organization as completing the formation of institutions and departments of the governorates’ councils will lead the southern cause towards its right path after controlling the whole south.
“The National assembly is the Vital Nerve of the Council”
Raed Al-Rubaiy, a southern movement activist, said: the general assembly is the vital nerve of the southern transitional council as it is the base of establishing the southern state. According to some analysts, it is a major event that is even more important than declaring the military council that already exists without declaration”
“Declaring the National Assembly: What Does This Step Mean?”
Eiad Al-Shuaiby, a human rights southern activist who lives in UK, indicated that: according to political concepts in several states, the national assembly represents the legislative authority. This is the case in France and Angola where the national assembly is the supreme legislative authority representing the parliament. The national assembly has the authority to form legislation, in addition to forming and dismissing the government. It usually includes representatives of all sectors of the society. Concerning the future steps following this declaration, it is expected that after the first meeting of the assembly, the step to follow is the announcement of a national government along with popular escalation against Ben Doghr’s failure government. Al-Shuaiby called for the Arab Ally to support the steps of the southern transitional council instead of supporting a government that proved its failure several times.
“The National Assembly is an Institutional Work to Establish a State”
Brigadier Al-Bakry, indicated that the national assembly is an institutional work on the ground to establish the southern state and soon all murmurs against that act will shut up. He also indicated that it is the most significant step taken by the southern transitional council towards restoring the rights of the southern people. According to this step, the internal situation will witness improvements. After the first meeting, the assembly will work on providing salaries after controlling all the state’s institutions. Al-Bakry expected the military council to be declared after controlling all southern territories and dismantling the links to the north saying that these are the correct steps if we seek correct political arrangement as separation from the north without arranging the internal status of the south is political foolishness as this step requires major steps to be taken.
“The National Assembly Has Several Tasks Including the Appointment of Experts Committee to Prepare the Southern Constitution Project”
Judge Shaker Mahfouz Benesh, one of the prominent patriotic figures in the technical committee that formulated the documents of the southern transitional council, indicated that: as approved in the southern transitional council, the general assembly is the supreme legislative authority of the council and represents the national southern parliament. It includes 303 members from all southern governorates according to standards approved in the basic regulation of the council. Assembly has several duties including the appointment of experts committee for preparing the southern constitution project according to principles, goals and concepts set by the council’s documents. He also indicated that the 14th October event was a clear response from all southern people to support the council in its pursuit for the main aim of the south.
“Reasons for Delaying the Announcement of the Military Council: Is the National Assembly More Important?”
Brigadier Saleh Thabet indicated that: the decision of forming the national assembly, in addition to other decisions taken by the southern transitional council, had a major significance as it prioritizes the political and legal bases of the upcoming southern state in response to the requirements of our peaceful struggle in this stage. As for announcing the military council, it is related to another stage or conditions of inevitable clash if all popular and political escalation tools prove void. It is related to build military and security capabilities of the southern state after establishing the state itself and according to well-coordinated plan internally and externally. I think the council is on the right path towards our desired goals.
Brigadier Abu Yamama Al-Yafeay, commander of the first brigade backup and support, indicated that this is not the time for announcing a military council as the actual goal now is to control all territories and expel the corrupt government.
Foreign Responses to the Declaration of the National Assembly
Some prominent foreign figure responded to the declaration of the national assembly. Anwar Al-Rasheed, chairman of the gulf forum of NGOs, said: this is a major step to form a parliament or a national assembly of the south. The southern transitional council is following the right political path towards restoring the state. All thanks to UAE government for supporting the right cause of the southern people and its sacrifices and martyrs for whom I ask God to bless their souls. I hope the southern transitional council will build a memorial for them after the liberation of the south along with all other martyrs who sacrificed their souls and blood for the south.
Dr. Khaled Al-Quasemy, a researcher specialized in the gulf and Arab peninsula affairs, said: I’m somehow sentimental with big expectations just like the southern people. But this decision of declaring the national assembly represents the correct chain of political command towards independence.